Maps of Greece

Crete- Heraklion 

Crete- Heraklion travel

Museums - Knossos - Phaestos - How to get there


summer in creteHeraklio is the largest town in Crete - the fifth in Greece - and also the capital of the prefecture. Due to its geographical position, Heraklio is the administrative capital and the transport hub of the island, with an international airport and a seaport. It lies just outside Knossos and near Phaistos and has one of the most important archaeological museums. Near Heraklio are the beaches of Ammoudara and Amnissou but for really nice beaches you can visit Matala, which is located southwest of Heraklio city.

Museums Facts on Greece
Archaeological Museum: The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is an outstanding museum second in size and importance only to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. It contains a concentration of almost all the discoveries, which have been made on Minoan civilization. The exhibits are arranged in 20 large galleries (rooms) of the museum with the material classified chronologically. The exhibits are classified into the following main categories: Ceramic. Vases belonging to the Vasilike style, the polychrome vases from the Kamares Caves, the vases of plant and marine style and those of the palace style are especially notable. Stoneware. Mainly vases made of marble, semi-precious and precious stones. Those, which come from the sacred treasuries of the palaces at Knossos and Knossos crete-greek islandsZakros, are outstanding. A special category is formed by the stone utensils used in religious ritual, which carry various representations in relief. Seal stones. These have been usually carved out of semi-precious stones. Miniature sculpture. Clay figurines and others made of stone or precious materials. Goldsmith’s work, ornaments in general Metalwork. Household utensils, tools, weapons and ceremonial axes. Frescoes. From the large and the small palaces, villas of the wealthy classes and mansions. Mural paintings combined with reliefs form a category of their own. Sarcophagi. The one from Agia Triada, made of stone is unique.
Historican Museum of Crete: This museum contains fascinating pieces from Crete’s more recent past. Photograpfs, charts, maps form Byzantine to Turkish rule, an El Greco painting the only one in Crete. In the 2nd floor there is a library with manuscripts and books of the author Nikos Kazantzakis.

Knossos ancient greece
knossos creteThe most famous archaeological site on Crete was brought to light in the late 19th century by the British archaeologist Arthur Evans. The Minoan Palace of Knossos lies at a distance of 5km from the town centre or Heraklion. The imposing Palace was built in a site, which was admired for its natural advantages. It provided good water supplies, access to the sea and proximity to a large fertile forest and strong position. The site has been inhabited as early as the Neolithic era and later, in the 3rd millennium BC during the Pre-palatial period, it developed into an important settlement. The first Palace was built around 2000 BC and destroyed 300 years later. In the Neo-palatial period, between 1700 and 1400 BC, a second, more luxurious palace was erected. This was also destroyed, most likely by the terrible eruption of the volcano on Santorini. Following this event, it is restored once more and used by the Achaean rulers as a residence. During the middle Ages, Knossos was an unimportant small village called “Makrys Toichos”. The archaeological site at Knossos covers 20.000 sq meters. A wall with several entrances encircles the palace, which has no fortifications or walls. The palace was both the residence of the royal family and a major shrine of the Minoan religion.

Phaestos greek islands
After Knossos, this is Crete’s most important archaeological site, where Radamanthys, Minos brother, had his luxurious palace. Phaestos as Knossos, was as well a centre of religious and economic activities. The palace was built twice. The ruins of the second palace are what the visitor mainly sees today. The palace architecture is Minoan and its orientation wad towards the west, serving religious and practical purposes. Most of Phaestos findings can be seen in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklio.

How to get there Knosssos-ancient greece
By air: from Eleutherios Venizelos airport in Athens, from Macedonia airport in Thessaloniki By ferry: from Piraeus in 12 hours or from Thessaloniki in 22 hours.

Maps of Greece, Travel maps of greece,Greek Islands, Peloponese, North and Central Greece
Click on the links below to view the maps of greece
Aegean Islands
Aegina
Amorgos
Andros
Chios
Folegandros
Hydra
Ios
Karpathos
Kea
Kos
Lesvos
Milos
Mykonos
Naxos
Paros
Poros
Patmos
Rhodes
Samos
Santorini
Sifnos
Skiathos
Skopelos
Symi
Syros
Thassos
Tinos
Crete
Chania
Heraklion
Lassithi
Rethymno
Ionian Islands
Corfu
Kefalonia
Lefkada
Zakynthos
Maps of Greece, Travel maps of greece,Greek Islands, Peloponese, North and Central Greece
Click on the links below to view the maps of greece
General map of Greece
Central Greece
attica map Attica epirus map Epirus etoloakarnania map Etoloakarnania magnisia map Magnisia thssaly map Thessaly
Athens
Delphi
Evia
Kalambaka
Ioannina
North Greece
macedonia map Macedonia thrace map Thrace
Chalkidiki
Katerini
Thessaloniki
Peloponnese
ahaia map Ahaia argolis map Arcadia argolis map Argolis laconia map Corinthia ilia map Ilia laconia map Laconia messinia mapMessene
Nafplio Olympia
 

famous places in greece
Click on the links below to see information about travel destinations in Greece
Athens

Aegina

Chania

Chios

Corfu

Delphi

Epidaurus

Heraklio

Hydra

Ios

Kavala

Kefalonia

Kos

Lasithi

Lesvos

Meteora

Mycenae

Mykonos

Nafplio

Naxos

Olympia

Paros

Patmos

Poros

Rethymno

Rhodes

Santorini

Skiathos

Thessaloniki

Zakynthos


WHAT WE SUGGEST IN ATHENS

H O T E L S

RESTAURANTS - BARS

Acropolis Select
Andromeda 
Astor
Divani Palace Acropolis
Herodion
N.J.V. Athens Plaza
President
Athens Tours

athens hotel search

Ouzeri Kouklis
Socrates Prison
Mamaca's
Filistron
Cafe Abysinia
Xynos


Book your ferry tickets online here.


WHAT WE SUGGEST IN MYKONOS

H O T E L S

RESTAURANTS - BARS

Belvedere
Deliades 
Lady Anna
Manoulas Beach 
Poseidon
Royal Myconian
Princess of Mykonos
Myconian Imperial & Thalasso Spa Centre

Barka
Antonini's
Katrin's
Caprice
Philipidi
Chez Maria
Veranda
Pierro's
Palenque
Cavo Paradiso


WHAT WE SUGGEST IN SANTORINI

H O T E L S

RESTAURANTS - BARS

Albatros
Apanemo Hotel Chromata Apartments
Cosmopolitan Suites
Grotto Villas
Ikies Traditional Houses
Katikies
Notos Spa Hotel
Santorini Palace
Tzekos Villas
Volcanos View
Zannos Melathron

Lava
Ia
Selini
Domata
Koukoumaulos
Archipelagos
Franco's
Enigma
Dolphins
Tango
Sphinx

Visit Santorini Hotels Santorini Hotels for Honeymooners Small Luxury Hotels in Santorini
Small Luxury Hotels In Santorini

WHAT WE SUGGEST IN IOS

H O T E L S

RESTAURANTS - BARS

Ios Palace

WHAT WE SUGGEST IN RHODES

H O T E L S

RESTAURANTS - BARS

Belvedere
Cactus
Cosmopolitan
Kresten Palace
Miramare Wonderland

Alexis
Fotis
Archontiko
Dinorio
Araliki

turismo grecia - Pacotes de viagens para a Grecia e Turquia Cheap cruises - Greek cruises - Mediterranean cruise
greece tours
Honeymoon in Greece click here Hotels in Mykonos
Contact us
Italy Maps | Athens Hotels | Corfu Hotels | Crete Hotels
Mykonos Hotels | Rhodes Hotels | Santorini Hotels | Florida Map | Greek Ferries Tickets | Map of Mexico